Heat pipe and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a heat pipe and a method for manufacturing the same. The heat pipe includes a main body having a chamber. The chamber has at least one wick region and at least one flowing channel region. The wick region is positioned adjacent to the flowing channel region and both of them axially extend in the chamber. The wick region is provided on an inner wall of the chamber. An area occupied by the wick region is smaller than a half of the circumference of the inner wall of the chamber. A wick structure in the heat pipe can be prevented from suffering damage during its production and the yield of production is increased.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat pipe and a method for manufacturing the same, and in particular to a heat pipe and a method for manufacturing the same, which is capable of increasing the yield of production and preventing the wick structure inside the heat pipe from suffering damage during its production.

2. Description of Prior Art

With the development of science and technology, heat cooling and heat dissipation are two factors having a great influence on the advancement of the electronic industry. Since current electronic products are required to have a high performance, increased degree of integration and multiple functions, it is an important issue for the electronic industry to improve the heat-dissipating efficiency and the heat-conducting efficiency.

Heat sink is used to dissipate the heat generated by electronic elements or systems to the atmosphere. When the thermal resistance is small, the heat sink demonstrates a high heat-dissipating efficiency. In general, the thermal resistance includes a spreading resistance inside the heat sink and a convention resistance between the surface of the heat sink and the atmospheric environment. In practice, materials having a high heat conductivity such as copper or aluminum are used to manufacture the heat sink to reduce the spreading resistance. However, the convection resistance restricts the performance of the heat sink, which cannot conform to the requirements for heat dissipation of the new-generation electronic elements.

Since the market aims to seek a heat-dissipating mechanism with a greater efficiency, heat pipes and vapor chambers having high heat-conducting efficiency are developed to cooperate with the heat sink, thereby solving the heat-dissipation problem at the current stage.

In the existing heat pipe, the interior of the heat pipe is filled with metal powder and sintered on the inner wall of the heat pipe to form a wick structure. Alternatively, metallic meshes are disposed in the interior of the heat pipe to serve as a wick structure. Alternatively, the inner walls of the heat pipe are formed with annular axially-extending grooves. Then, the interior of the heat pipe is degassed to become vacuum, filled with a working fluid, and sealed. However, when the finished heat pipe is subjected to a pressure during its production, the wick structure (sintered metal powder, metallic meshes, or annular grooves) inside the heat pipe are pressed to suffer damage, so that the wick structure may fall off the inner walls of the heat pipe or generate a deformation. As a result, the heat-conducting efficiency of the heat pipe is reduced greatly and even break down. Therefore, it is an important issue to prevent the wick structure of the heat pipe from suffering damage due to the pressure caused by its production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above problems in prior art, an objective of the present invention is to provide a heat pipe capable of increasing the yield of production.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a heat pipe with increased yield of production.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a heat pipe, which includes: a main body having a chamber, the chamber having at least one wick region and at least one flowing channel region. The wick region is positioned adjacent to the flowing channel region and both of them axially extend in the chamber. The wick region is provided on a inner wall of the chamber. An area occupied by the wick region is smaller than a half of the circumference of the inner wall of the chamber.

The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a heat pipe, which includes steps of: providing a hollow pipe body; forming a plurality of grooves on an inner wall of the hollow pipe body; pressing the hollow pipe body flat; degassing the hollow pipe body, filling a working fluid in the hollow pipe body, and sealing the hollow pipe body.

By means of the heat pipe and the method of the present invention, the yield of production of the heat pipe is increased, and the wick structure inside the heat pipe can be prevented from suffering damage during the production of the heat pipe.

Therefore, the present invention has the following advantages:

(I) increase in yield of production; and

(II) simple in structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the method for manufacturing a heat pipe according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the method for manufacturing a heat pipe according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above objectives and structural and functional features of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings

Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1. The present invention provides a heat pipe including a main body 1.

The main body 1 has a chamber 11. The chamber 11 has at least one wick region 111 and at least one flowing channel region 112. The wick region 111 is positioned adjacent to the flowing channel region 112 and both of them axially extend in the chamber 11. The wick region 111 is positioned on an inner wall of the chamber 11. An area occupied by the wick region 111 is smaller than a half of the circumference of the inner wall of the chamber 11. The wick region 111 has a plurality of grooves 1111.

The chamber 11 further has a first side 113, a second side 114, a third side 115, and a fourth side 116. The first side 113 and the second side 14 correspond to each other. The third side 115 and the fourth side 116 correspond to each other. The first, second sides 113, 114 are connected to the third, fourth sides 115, 116. The wick region 111 is provided on the first side 113. The flowing channel region 112 has a first flowing channel 1121 and a second flowing channel 1122. The first flowing channel 1121 is provided at an intersecting portion between the third side 115 and the wick region 111. The second flowing channel 1122 is provided at an intersecting portion between the fourth side 116 and the wick region 111.

Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, most of the structure of the second embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for clarity. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that: the thickness of the first side 113 of the main body 1 is larger than the thickness of the second side 114, the third side 115 or the fourth side 116.

Please refer to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, most of the structure of the third embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for clarity. The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that: the chamber 11 further has a first side 113, a second side 114, a third side 115 and a fourth side 116. The first side 113 and the second side 14 correspond to each other. The third side 115 and the fourth side 116 correspond to each other. The first, second sides 113, 114 are connected to the third, fourth sides 115, 116. The wick region 111 further has a first wick member 1112 and a second wick member 1113. The first wick member 1112 is provided on the first side 113. The second wick member 113 is provided on the second side 114. The flowing channel region 112 has a first flowing channel 1121 and a second flowing channel 1122. The first flowing channel 1121 is provided on an intersecting portion among the third side 115, the first wick member 1112 and the second wick member 1113. The second flowing channel 1122 is provided on an intersecting portion among the fourth side 116, the first wick member 1112 and the second wick member 1113.

The first wick member 1112 and the second wick member 1113 are formed with a plurality of grooves 1111.

Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, most of the structure of the fourth embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for clarity. The difference between the fourth embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that: the thickness of the first side 113 and the second side 114 of the main body 1 is larger that the thickness of the third side 115 and the fourth side 116.

Please refer to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the heat pipe according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, most of the structure of the fifth embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for clarity. The difference between the fifth embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that: the main body 1 further has a supporting structure 2 axially extending in the chamber 11. The supporting structure 2 is positioned to correspond to the wick region 111. The flowing channel region 112 further has a first flowing channel 1121 and a second flowing channel 1122. The first flowing channel 1121 and the second flowing channel 1122 are provided on both sides of the supporting structure 2 and the wick region 111.

The wick region 111 has a plurality of grooves 111. The supporting structure 2 is made of any one of sintered powder, meshes and fibers.

Please refer to FIG. 7, which is a flow chart showing the method for manufacturing the heat pipe according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Please also refer to FIGS. 1 to 6. As shown in these figures, the method of the first embodiment includes the following steps:

In a step S1, a hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is provided.

The hollow pipe body is made of materials of having a good heat conductivity, such as copper, aluminum and stainless steel. In the present embodiment, the heat pipe body is made of copper, but it is not limited thereto.

In a step S2, an inner wall of the hollow pipe body is formed with a plurality of grooves.

An inner wall of the hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is formed with a plurality of grooves by a mechanical process. The mechanical process may be any one of a grinding process, a milling process, a shaving process, and a draw-forming process. In the present embodiment, an inner wall of the hollow pipe body is first processed by the grinding process. Then, the inner wall of the hollow pipe body is formed with a plurality of grooves by a draw-forming process. The thickness of the portion of the main body 1 on which the grooves 1111 are provided is larger than the thickness of the portion in which the grooves 1111 are not provided.

In a step S3, the hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is pressed flat.

The hollow pipe body is pressed flat by a punching process or a rolling process. In the present embodiment, a hydraulic punching process is used as an example, but it is not limited thereto. The hollow pipe body is pressed flat by exerting a pressure gradually to the hollow pipe body.

In a step S4, the hollow pipe body is degassed, filled with a working fluid, and sealed.

After the hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is pressed flat, the hollow pipe body is degassed, filled with a working fluid, and sealed.

Please refer to FIG. 8, which is a flow chart showing the method for manufacturing the heat pipe according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figures, the method of the second embodiment includes the following steps:

In a step S1, a hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is provided.

The hollow pipe body is made of materials of having a good heat conductivity, such as copper, aluminum and stainless steel. In the present embodiment, the heat pipe body is made of copper, but it is not limited thereto.

In a step S2, an inner wall of the hollow pipe body is formed with a plurality of grooves.

The inner wall of the hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is formed with a plurality of grooves 1111 by a mechanical process. The mechanical process may be any one of a grinding process, a milling process, a shaving process, and a draw-forming process. The thickness of the portion of the main body 1 on which the grooves 1111 are provided is larger than the thickness of the portion on which the grooves 1111 are not provided.

In a step S4, the hollow pipe body is degassed, filled with a working fluid, and sealed.

After the hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is pressed flat, the hollow pipe body is degassed, filled with a working fluid, and sealed.

In a step S3, the hollow pipe body (that is, the main body 1) is pressed flat.

The hollow pipe body is pressed flat by a punching process or a rolling process. In the present embodiment, a hydraulic punching process is used as an example, but it is not limited thereto. The hollow pipe body is pressed flat by exerting a pressure gradually to the hollow pipe body. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat pipe, including a main body having a chamber, the chamber having at least one wick region and at least one flowing channel region, the wick region being positioned adjacent to the flowing channel region and both of them axially extending in the chamber, the wick region being provided on an inner wall of the chamber, an area occupied by the wick region being smaller than a half of the circumference of the inner wall of the chamber.
 2. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the wick region further has a first wick member and a second wick member, the first wick member and the second wick member are provided in the chamber to correspond to each other, the first wick member and the second wick member are formed with a plurality of grooves.
 3. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the wick region has a plurality of grooves.
 4. The heat pipe according to claim 2, wherein the chamber further has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, the first side and the second side correspond to each other, the third side and the fourth side correspond to each other, the first, second sides are connected to the third, fourth sides, the first wick member is provided on the first side, the second wick member is provided on the second side, the flowing region has a first flowing channel and a second flowing chamber, the first flowing channel is provided on an intersecting portion among the third side, the first wick member and the second wick member, the second flowing channel is provided on an intersecting portion among the fourth side, the first wick member and the second wick member.
 5. The heat pipe according to claim 4, wherein the thickness of the first side or the second side is larger than the thickness of the third side or the fourth side.
 6. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the chamber further has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, the first side and the second side correspond to each other, the third side and the fourth side correspond to each other, the first, second sides are connected to the third, fourth sides, the first wick member is provided on the first side, the flowing region has a first flowing channel and a second flowing chamber, the first flowing channel is provided on an intersecting portion between the third side and the wick region, the second flowing channel is provided on an intersecting portion between the fourth side and the wick region.
 7. The heat pipe according to claim 6, wherein the thickness of the first side of the main body is larger than the thickness of the second side, the third side or the fourth side.
 8. The heat pipe according to claim 1, further having a supporting structure axially extending in the chamber, the supporting structure being provided to correspond to the wick region, the flow channel region having a first flowing channel and a second flowing channel, the first flowing channel and the second flowing channel being provided on both sides of the supporting structure and the wick region.
 9. The heat pipe according to claim 8, wherein the wick region has a plurality of grooves, the supporting structure is made by any one of sintered powders, meshes, and fibers
 10. A method for manufacturing a heat pipe, including steps of: providing a hollow pipe body; forming a plurality of grooves on an inner wall of the hollow pipe body; pressing the hollow pipe body flat; and degassing the hollow pipe body, filling a working fluid in the hollow pipe body, and sealing the hollow pipe body.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein forming the grooves on the inner wall of the hollow pipe body is achieved by a mechanical process, the mechanical process is selected from any one a grinding process, a milling process, a shaving process and a draw-forming process.
 12. The method according to claim 10, wherein pressing the hollow pipe body flat is achieved by any one of a punching process and a rolling process.
 13. A method for manufacturing a heat pipe, including steps of: providing a hollow pipe body; forming a plurality of grooves on an inner wall of the hollow pipe body; degassing the hollow pipe body, filling a working fluid in the hollow pipe body, and sealing the hollow pipe body; and pressing the hollow pipe body flat.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein forming the grooves on the inner wall of the hollow pipe body is achieved by a mechanical process, the mechanical process is selected from any one a grinding process, a milling process, a shaving process and a draw-forming process.
 15. The method according to claim 13, wherein pressing the hollow pipe body flat is achieved by any one of a punching process and a rolling process. 